Smoke and Fire
by Megarie
Summary: Cinna, Poppy, Flicker, Harmony, and Crimson all express their disapproval of the 64th Hunger Games. Cinna's backstory.


Cinna takes one glance at me and rolls his eyes.

"You let your mother dress you again?" I glance in the mirror of Cinna's bedroom wall, dismay tugging at the corners of my mouth. I am outfitted in a ridiculously hideous black jacket with a huge collar and gigantic shoulders. There is a wasp embroidered on the back, and the outfit complete with gauchos so wide, you could probably hide a small child in one of the pant legs. So far, it was one of the ugliest outfits that my mother had insisted that I wear. I sighed.

"Cinna," I say batting my eyes, "please work your magic?"

He looks at me with sympathy.

"I am way ahead of you". He grabs my hand and pulls me to his closet, and with a couple of taps on a keypad on a secret panel in the back of the closet, pulls me through the secret opening in the back. I sigh, sinking into the sofa, taking in the room I know so well. This was Cinna's design room, where Cinna has saved me from numerous fashion disasters, inflicted upon me by my mother.

The champagne colored room had closets along the back wall with automated clothing racks inside. The right side of the room had three mini closets horizontally on top of each other, one for hair pieces, one for jewelry, and one for shoes. On the left side of the room there were drawers of fabrics and sewing tools, and Cinna's meticulously neat work table, including his drawing desk and his sewing machine. In the center of the room, there was a large seating area, including a large black sectional and large television that ascended from the floor at the touch of a button.

With a few touches on a built in screen next to the closet, the color coded racks move horizontally until the color green. He pulls out a dress with a forest green full skirt and a matching bodice, encrusted with beads and sequins.

"Cinna, this dress is wonderful." I breathed as I held the dress up to the light. The bodice shimmered in the light.

"Thanks. I thought it would look good with your hair." He replies as I blush. My bright red hair is my signature, being the one thing I won't let my mother change. "You are my savior." I say, as he opens a flap in the wall and slides out a partition.

As I am changing, he turns the television on the Official Capitol Channel, letting Carlina Garnet's high voice broadcast through the room.

"Just 1 hour until the first reaping footage of the 64th annual Hunger Games is broadcasted. Don't miss it!"

I come out of behind the partition, dress still unzipped in the back. I turn around, allowing Cinna to zip it.

"Ridiculous", I mutter under my breath. "It's all ridiculous, the Games. People are dying, Cinna." He nods in agreement.

The buzzer rings, signaling someone at Cinna's bedroom door. Cinna quietly dashes through the door, and returns with a very blue haired Flicker Sandry.

"Flicker Sandry, What have you done too your hair?" I remark.

"Darling Poppy," He says as he takes my waist and twirls me around the room. "I have dyed it. Doesn't it look fabulous?"

I secretly admit that it works for him. The hair starts out dark blue at the roots and then fades out to a frosty blue at the spikey ends. It perfectly matches his eyes.

"Harmony and Crimson shall be here any moment." He states. True to his word, the buzzer rings. Cinna once again leaves and return with Harmony and Crimson.

Harmony speaks softly. "I seem to have misplaced my tab." She says, messing with her long pink hair. "Isn't that like the forty-millionth time you have lost it this month?" Crimson retorts. Harmony ignores her.

"How long until the reaping footage?" Flicker pulls out his tab. "Forty-five minutes." He replies.

Crimson snorts. Her raspy voice airs a little sarcasm.

"I just can't wait." Cinna rolls his eyes.

"Hey Crimson." Flicker changes the subject.

"We are all proud of you for winning that art competition. No one else can quite sculpt broken windows and dead birds like you can. " Crimson looks annoyed, but under her irritation, she smiles. A crimson colored flush spreads to her white-silver hair.

We could watch The Games in The Square, like normal Capitol citizens. But I'm afraid that our disdain about the Games will give us away. So we choose to watch the games in private.

"Why, Poppy," remarks Flicker, "what a charming dress you have on. Where ever did you get it?" He smiles at me, knowingly. "Like you don't know," I roll my eyes playfully. Crimson snorts again. "Will you guys ever stop flirting?" Flicker smiles and kisses my hand. "Not in a million years."

Cinna gets our attention by clearing his throat. "We have serious matters at hand," He turns his attention to the Television. The reaping has started.

We watch as the usual footage plays, the propaganda about the war and the "brave young men and women" participating in the Hunger Games. I felt the urge to vomit. The camera pans to the stage, where the male escort was reciting the usual "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor. Ladies first" He steps up to the glass bowl. "Orchid Maayabee." The camera zooms to a young girl, maybe 12 or 13. An older girl steps out into the isle. "I volunteer as tribute!" the crowd applauds as she steps up to the shiny stage, nearly skipping. I nearly gag. "What is your name, darling?" She smiles. "Lush Madrid."

The same repeats with the male tribute. Some guy name Gemm; I forget his last name. Cinna turns off the television. We all stare in shock. As if we have never seen this before.

Harmony speaks softly. "Something needs to be done." Crimson turns to her.

"What can we do. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's the freaking Capitol. One word against The Games, and you're as good as dead." Cinna stands up. He turns to face the door.

"Cinna." I say softly. He turns to me. There is a tear glimmering in his eye. He blinks and it disappears as quickly as it came.

"We have do something." He repeats softly.

Flicker speaks. " I should go. My sister will be waiting." He leaves the room. Harmony, and Crimson stand. "We have to go too." Says Harmony. "Ugh, the cat needs to be fed." Crimson turns. "We don't have a cat."

"Shhhh." Harmony replies, and then they leave.

"Cinna." I say again, softly.

He shakes his head. "I don't really want to talk about it right now."

I nod.

I knew that Cinna had a secret past. And I also knew it had something to do with his mother and father. But cinna never wanted to talk about it.

He sits down next to me. The only thing I could do was be there for him. So a did, as he buried his face into my shoulder.

I didn't sleep that night. I tossed and turned, worrying about the games, worrying about cinna.

If only there were a way... A way to stop the games, or a way to show people the truth about the games.

I couldn't take it. I crept past my mothers room and quietly shut the front door. I walked down the hall and upstairs to Cinna's apartment. I quietly let myself in. I find him in his bedroom sleeping.

"Cinna." I whisper. He stirs. I walk over to his bed.

"Cinna." He opens his eyes.

"I can't sleep." He yawns and pats the bed next to him.

"Come on." He says.

I lay next to him and he wraps his arms around my waist. I tingle. It was moments like these where I question whether Cinna and I were more than just friends. I snuggle into his warm arms and fall asleep immediately.


End file.
